US Woman to Marry Swiss Guard in Rome; Pope Tells Them ‘Have a Lot of Children’

How a Novena and God’s Providence Led to the Blessed Meeting — and Engagement

By EMILY BRANDENBURG

(National Catholic Register) Huntington Beach, Calif. — She was 29 years old with a dream to see Italy before she turned 30.

So Miranda Emde convinced her mother, Martha, to go with her, and off they went. In October 2013, they toured Rome, Milan, Venice and Assisi for three weeks. But Miranda fell in love with Rome. She went to Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica every day while she was there — and she didn’t want to leave.

The day before they were to return home to California, Miranda had an idea. “I’m single still. What if I could live here [in Rome] for six months and do something for the Vatican?”

She and her mom asked around, but ended up wasting a few hours without finding out how to get a job at the Holy See. At that point, Miranda wanted to give up. “I said, ‘Let’s just go back to the hotel.’ My mom said, ‘No we are getting the information before we leave. We are going to walk by St. Anne’s Gate. Talk to the Swiss Guard who is there.”

When “she feels strongly about something, you just listen to her,” Miranda said of her mom. Father Angelo Sebastian, who aids orphanages in his native India and is a friend of Miranda and her family, describes her as “St. Martha” who prays several Rosaries a day and is a “very faithful and holy woman.”

“So I’m like, ‘Okay.’ As I’m just looking over, I see Jonathan,” Miranda recalled. So she went over to Jonathan Binaghi, a Vatican Swiss Guard, introduced herself, and asked, “I’m visiting Rome and curious about opportunities at the Vatican in marketing and communications.”

They only talked a few minutes, as he was busy talking with other people as part of his duties. But he was extremely helpful and gave her contact information of several individuals who could help her with her job search.

“I could tell he wanted to talk more. Towards the end, he said, ‘I get off work at 8. Can you meet for dinner?’ And I turned him down. I said, ‘Sorry, we have to be up so early [for our flight.]’ He wrote down his contact information.”

The helpful Swiss Guard made quite the impression on her. “We felt a spark [and] observing him in those couple minutes, I picked up something different — how he handled people,” she recalled.  “He’s so kind — very kind and dignified. His presence is just not what you see all the time.”

Miranda remembers walking away and joking with her mom, “Oh, I think I just fell in love! What are the chances?” (continued)

Read More at the National Catholic Register (click here)

Link:

• US Woman to Marry Swiss Guard in Rome; Pope Tells Them ‘Have a Lot of Children’  

Being Kind

By Fr. Ray Blake

I think I understood Benedict, I have to admit I don't understand Francis!

Benedict amazed with his brilliance in his sermons and catechesis, Francis will probably remembered for the simple homely preaching at his early morning Masses at Domus Mater, for rubbish collectors and policemen, with their simple homely message: be faithful to Christ, tell the truth, be meek, be gentle.

Benedict was that wise scribe who drew out from his store room things both old and new. Francis, maybe it is his Jesuit sense of poverty, doesn't seem to have a store room. Benedict and Francis are obviously closely related, Benedict was the kind and wise grandfather, Francis the kind old uncle, who delights in surprising you.

I was rather taken by this story:

Recently, when he left his apartment at Domus Marta and went out into the hall, the Pope found a Swiss Guard standing at attention outside his door.
He asked him, “And what are you doing here? Were you awake all night?
“Yes,” the guard answered respectfully.
“Standing?”
“One of my colleagues gave me a break.”
“And you’re not tired?”
“It’s my duty Your Holiness, for Your safety.”
The Pope looked at him with kindness. He went back into his apartment and, after a few minutes, returned with a chair in his hand: “At least sit down and rest.”
Shocked, the Swiss Guard replied, “Forgive me, but I can’t! The rules don’t allow it.”
“The rules?..” (continued)

Read More at Fr. Ray Blake's Blog

Link:

• Being Kind

Pope Benedict XVI walks past a Vatican Swiss guard during the weekly general audience at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, on the outskirts of Rome, Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2012. - AP Photo

Extraction

Original photo: Holy Martyrs of Japan - Japan by Tina aka Snupnjake

Day of Reckoning

• Day of Reckoning for Clinton, Obama